Update Course in Radiation Protection

Call to Action

The Update Course in Radiation Protection

Scientific director: Dr. Christoph Döring

Information on a possible extension of deadlines for updating courses due to the current coronavirus situation can be found here.

Professional knowledge of radiation protection

According to § 49 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (Strahlenschutzverordnung, StrlSchV), expert knowledge of radiation protection must be updated every five years: "The requisite qualification in radiation protection must be updated at least every five years by successful participation in a course recognized by the competent agency or other measures of further education recognized as suitable by the competent agency. [...]"

Target group

The German-language Update course is aimed at people who, due to their licensed contact with ionising radiation, require an update of their "requisite qualification in radiation protection" pursuant to the Radiation Protection Act or the Radiation Protection Ordinance (for example radiation protection officers). This course is suited for people from the areas of natural sciences, engineering, medicine and medical physics as well as for technicians, teachers in the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate and medical-technical assistants (but not doctor's assistants).

Objective and degree

The Certificate course provides the participants with the opportunity to update their qualifications in a distance course and therefore, by and large, no reliance on course dates or locations. The course is officially recognised.

Graduates are awarded a university certificate.

Programme concept

Programme content

The Update course, which is explicitly aimed at experienced people, covers topics such as

Physical basics,

Radiation protection law and biology,

Radiation protection measurement technology,

Natural and man-made human exposure to radiation,

Medical examinations,

Practical effects of the Radiation Protection Act and the Radiation Protection Ordinance,

Practical radiation protection,

Waste disposal and monitoring of radioactivity in air and water,

Radionuclide laboratories,

Contamination and decontamination,

Risk assessment,

Radiation protection in the medical field.

Teaching-learning format

The DISC concept is essentially based on self-study phases that are consolidated and enhanced through on-campus, face-to-face contact hours. The two-hour on-campus phase takes place in Kaiserslautern. Multiple dates that cover the same topics are offered for examinations and mandatory tutorials:

5 June 2020: 5 pm to 6.45 pm.

11 September 2020: 5 pm to 6.45 pm.

4 December 2020: 5 pm to 6.45 pm.

Schedule and organisation

The course can be started at any time; participants then take the examinations within a period of one year after starting the course at one of the offered examination dates (there are generally four separate dates within the space of one year for participants to choose from). Course content is conveyed through a text that must be prepared online and a two-hour on-campus phase, consisting of a one-hour mandatory tutorial and then a subsequent 45-minute multiple choice test. If required, participants can select to attend an online tutorial instead of the on-campus tutorial.

At a glance

The course fee is currently EUR 98 (reduced fee EUR 69). The fee does not include travel, accommodation or meal expenses associated with the on-campus phase. The course fees are exempted from German VAT and may be tax-deductible if the legal requirements are fulfilled. An installment payment request is possible, further information can be found here.